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review

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes

8
£189.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Awesome shoes for keeping the water and cold out, though if ultimate stiffness is your thing you might want to look elsewhere
Weight: 
873g

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I've been on the hunt for the perfect winter boots for a long time now, and while the new Fizik Artica R5 cycling shoes don't tick every single box they are pretty damn close. Waterproof and toasty warm, they certainly make riding in the winter a much more pleasurable experience.

  • Pros: Impressive waterproofing, great closure system, warm
  • Cons: Sole not stiff enough for a performance shoe, high cuff can feel restrictive

For me, riding year-round, I've found that keeping my extremities warm is key to having an enjoyable time on the bike. As long as my ears, fingers and, most importantly, feet are toasty it doesn't matter what other clothing faux pas I've made.

> Find your nearest dealer here

I've used various types of overshoe, sandwich bags over the top of my socks, and various takes on winter socks, which have all done the job to various degrees, but the Fiziks are the best 'all round' solution that I've used.

They are basically a double layer shoe. The outer is a waterproof membrane which is impenetrable to rain and road spray; nothing is getting through, whatever the weather. Even the zip is waterproof. Fizik has even avoided putting any vents in the sole of the R5s, so no water can get in here, plus once the cleats are fitted no moisture can get past the screws either.

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes - zip.jpg

Water will still get in though the neoprene cuff, as it will with any other shoe, even if it is paired with a form of overshoe. If you are using a mudguard with decent coverage, though, this is kept to an absolute minimum as road spray is kept lower than the ankle of the boot.

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes - velcro.jpg

One issue with being so good at keeping water out is that when it does get in it takes a while to escape. Things do stay warm, though, no matter what the temperature outside, but make sure you give the shoes a good airing when you get home.

Once dry, the material of the shoes doesn't shrink, so you don't get that tight shoe syndrome going on.

The inner part of the shoe is a snug fit, similar to that of a summer race shoe. Your foot is secured by way of a quick lace system similar to that seen on off-road running shoes. You just pull the cord tight before dragging the toggle down to secure the system. It spreads the load evenly so you don't get any hot spots, and retention is just as secure as any Boa system you might find on the market.

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes - laces.jpg

The only downside I'd say is that the toggle is a little bulky, which can make doing the outside zip up a little difficult. You have to jiggle the position a bit to get everything sorted, but once in place it isn't an issue.

A little bit of toast

When it comes to warmth the R5s are hard to fault. I went out for a two-hour ride before storm Emma hit the south-west and with the Garmin showing -6.8°C my feet were still toasty. Since then, we've seen a second dumping of snow and even walking through a 3ft snow drift with the bike on my shoulder I had no issues with chilly toes.

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes - side.jpg

The insoles, Winter Edition Cycling Insoles to be precise, have a fleece upper and "an insulating aluminum foil underside" – yep, the old tin foil trick – and certainly seem to keep the cold at bay.

As for comfort around the rest of the shoe, on the whole things are very good. They size up well without being tight, allowing some wiggle room for your toes to keep the blood pumping.

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes - toe.jpg

The tall cuff takes a little getting used to compared to road shoes and overshoes, as you don't feel like you have the same degree of movement when pedalling, but you soon get used to it.

Sole complaint

The sole is a carbon injected composite rather than full carbon fibre like that found on most performance summer race shoes, and this is my main criticism of the R5s. This is a pair of shoes that costs £189.99, and for that I'd expect ultimate performance. Just because it is freezing outside or raining cats and dogs doesn't mean I want to slacken off the pace.

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes - sole heel.jpg

The sole itself is stiffer than Northwave's Flash TF winter shoes I tested a few months ago, but it's still not up to a really hard session. There is some flex which can create hot spots if you are really pushing it, even with the bit of foam padding added to the bottom of the insole.

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes - sole toe.jpg

As for finishing touches, you get a heel and toe bumper to protect the sole plus there is some reflective detailing at the rear. Always a good thing as revolving reflectives certainly help to get you noticed.

Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes - heels.jpg

Value

When it comes to money they are, like many winter shoes, pricey – especially when you think what you can get for a pair of summer shoes nudging 200 quid.

That said, you save yourself £50 over Northwave's Extreme RR GTX shoes at £239.99, and they are a real step up from the Flash TH winter shoes I mentioned above.

> How to keep your feet warm while cycling in winter 

On the whole I think the R5s are one of the best solutions out there if you ride whatever the weather, and while they can be seen as an extravagance compared with summer shoes and overshoes, if you are a commuter for instance I can really see you getting your money's worth in a matter of months.

There's very little to fault other than that less-than-perfect sole for the racers.

Verdict

Awesome shoes for keeping the water and cold out, though if ultimate stiffness is your thing you might want to look elsewhere

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Fizik Artica R5 Road Shoes

Size tested: 45

Tell us what the product is for

Fizik says, "Artica R5 is the perfect winter road cycling shoe for warmth, comfort, protection and performance riding in even the coldest, wettest conditions. Fully waterproof, easy to fit and featuring advanced insulation properties, Artica R5 beats the elements, yet is a lightweight and stiff high performance shoe.

"The Artica R5's Internal Speed Lacing system makes fitting to your foot shape quick and accurate. Its Microtex Reinforced Shell offers structured support while the Breathable Membrane maximizes airflow. The waterproof outer is easy to clean and the waterproof zip ensures that the worst of the weather stays out.

"The Carbon Composite outsole – light and stiff for maximum power transfer – is combined with the supportive and comfortable fi'zi:k Winter Edition Cycling Insole, which features a cosy fleece upper and an insulating aluminum foil underside, for all-season warmth.

"Like all fi'zi:k's performance road shoes, the Artica R5 benefits from our program of designing with, and for, leading professional racing cyclists to create the best possible shoes for you, whatever the season."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Fizik:

Upper: Waterproof and Breathable Membrane, Microtex Reinforced Shell

Outsole: Rubber Outsole / Carbon Reinforced Midsole

Closure: Internal Speed Lacing system

Insole: fi'zi:k cycling Insole

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Sizing is absolutely spot on, I regularly wear a size 45 and these were perfect. Snug enough but still allowing some wiggle room for your toes.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

I'd expect a full carbon sole at this price.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

The outer literally wipes clean.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Great in the cold and the rain.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Waterproofing.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

I'd like a stiffer sole.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Fizik Artica R5s are great shoes for winter use if you want to do away with the overshoes and tin foil, but that obviously comes at a price. For this money I'd really expect to see a full-carbon fibre sole too for the performance rider.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 38  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithein

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

9 comments

Avatar
mohamed alashmawi | 2 years ago
0 likes

it is very bad ,for not resistant water

Avatar
sw600 | 5 years ago
0 likes

I have a pair of these to sell, size 43, effectively new. I wore them 5 or 6 times, but my bike fitter couldn't get the cleats to be in the right place so no good for me, I didn't buy the right size.  Still got the warranty from sigma sports presumably.

Anyone interested? £160 new so how about £120? Free set of SL yellows if you want em too  1

Avatar
kil0ran | 5 years ago
0 likes

Ta - I've tried Northwave (the Raptor GTX) and had to go up two sizes to stand any chance of having them fit. Even then they were still uncomfortable on the transition from ball to arch.

Looks like I'm stuck with my very battered size 44 M088s in wide fit.

The whole sizing thing is a pain - I've just tried some XC7s and the fit consistency is dreadful - the 43s had more room than the 44s.

Avatar
Luv2ride replied to kil0ran | 5 years ago
0 likes
kil0ran wrote:

Ta - I've tried Northwave (the Raptor GTX) and had to go up two sizes to stand any chance of having them fit. Even then they were still uncomfortable on the transition from ball to arch.

Looks like I'm stuck with my very battered size 44 M088s in wide fit.

The whole sizing thing is a pain - I've just tried some XC7s and the fit consistency is dreadful - the 43s had more room than the 44s.

I just tried my new Northwave Raptor TH shoes (not boots) today and if anything they came up a bit big for me, and quite wide.  Went for EU 43, same as my mk1 Spesh Defrosters and Spesh Pro MTB shoes and definately not as snug fitting, though was able to cinch them tight with the boa-style system.  As for sole stiffness, did some short steep climbs today and didn't notice any flex at all, but then I'm no powerhouse cyclist.  I reckon unless you're really powerful most wouldn't notice any flex in these types of shoes, and I would have gone for the Fiziks if I hadn't been able to pick up my Northwaves for only £65   Stood up well to the cold rain and muck today, so I certainly agree with the concept.  

Avatar
Stu Kerton | 5 years ago
0 likes

As @earth mentions the the R5's have a very similar sole shape to most other shoes on the market, Shimano, Scott, Giro etc that I've worn and tested over the last few years.  They certainly don't have that really high arch that plagued Fizik's early shoes.

When it comes to width they are pretty standard too, I could easily go with thicker winter socks in these and still have room. If you have really wide feet though you are probably better off with something like the Northwave's I've mentioned in the review.

Avatar
earth | 5 years ago
0 likes

I got the MTB pair so I can use the commuter as a winter bike as well the MTB on occasion.  There is enough room in them to be comfortable and compared to the Lakes I have for summer use the sole is comfortable.  The Lakes have very pronounced arch support whereas these are more like every other pair of shoes.  They feel similar to the Specialised I used for years.

Avatar
kil0ran | 5 years ago
0 likes

Any thoughts on last shape and width vs other shoes?

Avatar
Valbrona | 5 years ago
0 likes

Any review including the word 'toast' or 'toasty' is not credible.

Avatar
Valbrona | 5 years ago
0 likes

Any review including the word 'toast' or 'toasty' is not credible.

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